Where You Belong

Tyler circled the net, joking around with Horton as practice that morning wrapped up, a few of them taking shots on Tim Thomas who was only half paying attention while playing with the spout on his water bottle.

“Seg, your baby mama is here.” Milan passed his young friend on the ice as he snuck up behind Bergeron to jump on his back. Tyler’s head moved towards the bench to see Anna chatting happily with coach Julien who smiled warmly at her. Tyler skated across the ice to meet her, his North face fleece wrapped tightly around her and a pompom hat on her head.

“Hey there.” He smiled excitedly as she ran a hand over his head with a small frown. She didn’t quite love the fact that he had shaved his head, but she did giggle at the way his ears seemed to stick out much further now that he did.

“Hi.” She smiled, blushing as the coach turned away while Tyler leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“What are you up to?” He asked, seeing as she didn’t usually show up to his practices unannounced.

“I thought maybe we could get some lunch?” She asked, “I’m starving.” She rubbed her hand over her little bump that was beginning to show now that she was just over three months.

“What does little Seg want for lunch?” Tyler asked, taking off his helmet and plopping it on Anna’s head as he hopped over the boards to sit on top of them, his skates tucked above the small shelf for water bottles.

“Gyros, I need Greek food now or I’ll fly to Greece myself.” She insisted with a grin as his smile grew across his face.

“Okay, let me shower fast and then we’ll go find some gyros.” He insisted, leaning in to kiss her gently once more, causing the few remaining boys on the ice to hoot and holler. Tyler gladly stuck his middle finger out at them as he tilted his head, slanting his mouth over hers before she could pull away. Unfortunately, their relationship status was still questionable and that was something he was hoping to work out today and perhaps tonight when they would retire to his bed.

Tyler showered quickly, knowing better than to keep a pregnant woman waiting on lunch and he smiled upon seeing her in the lounge, flipping through a People magazine as she chatted with Brianna.

“Ready to go?” He asked, offering her his arm, helping her up from the couch as they made their way out to the parking lot. “Drive with me, we’ll get your car later.” He insisted. He held her tightly as they walked over a small patch of ice in the parking lot. Winter was approaching February and he was ready for the snow to melt. Once they were tucked into his little Mercedes she glanced to the nonexistent back seat

“Not a lot of room in this car for a booster seat.” Anna commented quietly, a hand on her bump as she buckled up.

“I know, it’s on my to do list.” Tyler smiled, placing his hand over hers and giving her tummy a little pat. They found out at her last doctor’s appointment that she was carrying more outward than under herself, making her look further along than usual.

“And what else is on that list?” Anna asked, attempting to cross her legs but deciding against it after a few tries.

“Oh lots of things.” Tyler sighed. “Win the cup, buy a new car, buy some diapers, the usual.” He listed.

“Just so simple.” She stuck out her tongue, closing her eyes softly. Her pregnancy and morning sickness were keeping her from sleeping in and it was really taking a toll on her body when all she wanted to do was rest.

Soon, they were sitting in a small booth at a Mediterranean restaurant known for their good gyros with their menus closed after just having ordered enough food for a small army.

“What would you say if I suggested we get a place?” Tyler asked with an exhale, knowing that there was not an easy way to go about the subject.

“A place? Like our own house?” She asked, taking a big drink of her chocolate milk that eased her heartburn. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” She asked.

“I do.” Tyler nodded. “I’m tired of this back and forth limbo we have between the condos, you’re practically living with me anyway. You know how I feel about you but I also know that you’re not quite ready to reciprocate that.” He sighed. “But I think that we should get our own place, especially because we need to get to working on a room for the baby. There just isn’t good space in either of our places for a kid.” He had thought about this long and hard. “My mom said she’d like to come down and help us look and help out a little when I’m gone for a week or two.” He added.

Tyler’s parents were very accepting of Anna from the beginning of their “relationship” but were especially accommodating when they had found out that Tyler had gotten her pregnant. They were proud of him for stepping up and wanting to be a father when he could have just as easily split. Plus, his sisters liked Anna - which was usually a hard sell for his other girlfriends and they were excited about their brother having a baby.

“Can I think about it?” She asked quietly. Tyler nodded, having had prepared himself for the fact that she was probably going to shoot him down, so the fact that she was being fairly open minded about it was uplifting. “Besides, we should find out the sex before we go and start putting together a nursery.” She added with a small smile. That gave Tyler a little hope that she was considering a nursery as well.

“When can we find out again? Next week?” He asked. They were able to find out last week, but the little bugger was sleeping in just away that the doctor couldn’t see between its legs.

“Yes, next Wednesday at four, we have an appointment. Your game is Tuesday at two and then you don’t fly out until Friday afternoon, so plenty of time.” She said, eyes getting wide and excited as waiters walked towards their booth with armfuls of plates.

“Now if I could only get you to look at me like that.”

•••

“Anna?” Tyler called as he closed the front door, shaking off the cold as he pulled off his jacket and gloves, hanging it up on the coat rack before taking off his boots. Practice had finished early and they had nothing going on for a straight two and a half days. He was excited to be home and spend time with his girl and his child.

“Up here!” Anna called back from up the stairs, undoubtedly from his bedroom. Trudging up the stairs, he smiled upon seeing her curled up in his big bed donning his Boston Bruins snuggie. Several different newspapers were spread out on the bed as well as her laptop and his iPad, all sorts of housing ads circled with a pink highlighter. “I founds lots of good ones today!” She smiled excitedly, one hand on her belly and the other holding her highlighter.

“Very nice.” He smiled. Last week after their doctor’s appointment, Anna had told Tyler that she was ready to find a new place with him for their little family that was slowly coming together. Now all he had to work on was cementing her place in his life. “Come on, I’m tired.” He kneeled on the bed, slowly scooping up a few of the ads and folding them together before dropping his jeans and crawling onto the bed.

Anna giggled as Tyler tossed the foot of the snuggie up over his head, slowly climbing up her body to rest his head on her bump, kissing it several times over before resting his head just under her breasts.

“Hello baby boy.” He whispered, rubbing his hand over her round belly in a circular motion. Last week at the doctor’s the baby was more than excited to spread his legs and show off his manly parts for the doctor and the parents in waiting. Tyler was beyond thrilled to be having a little boy and he knew that Anna was excited as well. Anna slid the sleeves off of her arms, throwing her snuggie off to reveal just Tyler as he yawned a big, tired yawn. He crawled the rest of the way up the bed and wrapped his arms around her snugly as she shut her laptop, setting it on the nightstand.

“Tired?” She asked the obvious as he nuzzled down into the bed, tickling her neck with his short hair that he recently had buzzed once again. “Tyler!” She giggled as he nuzzled his face into her neck, his hair tickling her ear while his scruffy jaw lightly scratched her neck. Her hormones were kicked into over drive and neither of them expected the loud, low moan leave her lips.

“Whoa.” He laughed, making her turn a dark crimson as she hid her face from him within her hair. “I’m sorry, what was that?” He teased, rubbing his chin into her skin even more.

“No!” She squealed now that he knew her weakness there was no escaping it.

“I think you like it.” He insisted, nuzzling into her bare skin like a needy cat, his hands roaming her belly before moving further south into the band of her yoga pants to find that she was going commando.

“Tyler.” She tried to warn but it came out as more of a breathy sigh than anything else.

“Yes?” He asked, starting to kiss up and down her neck as he looped one arm under her up and braced his hand on her bump while the other took a fast swipe at her cleft to find it wet and ready. “I’m sorry, did you want me to stop?” He asked, knowing full well that she would be not happy if he did.

“No!” She insisted, pushing her hips back to try and gain some friction from his arousal as two of his fingers slowly circled her nub, making her shiver and come apart in his arms. “Tyler, please.” She whimpered, feeling terribly helpless.

“Please what?” Tyler asked, knowing better than to tease the mother of his child.

“Tyler!” She yelped as he removed his hand to push his own sweatpants and boxers down low enough to free his erection.

“At least we don’t have to worry about condoms now.” He mused as he quickly aligned his length up to her eager body.

“I swear to God, Tyler, if you don’t –” Her breath escaped her as he slowly pushed into her warm, wet, tightness. They spooned tightly as he rocked his hips back and forth into her, liking the sound of her little gasps and groans as he continued to kiss up her neck. She turned to face him as he slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her deeply while his free hand traveled down and rubbed her gently but steadily as he continued to rock. He knew her hormones were on hyper drive and that she wouldn’t last long, so he didn’t feel the need to prolong it for as long as possible.

He shuddered his orgasm just as she came around him, breathing heavily and on the brink of sleep already, which was fine with him since he was exhausted as well.

“Thanks for the booty call.” Tyler grinned, closing his eyes tiredly as he pulled more covers up and over their shoulders.

“Well if it can’t be Kris Letang.” She sighed, giggling as he smacked her butt softly before curling around her, ready for sleep.

He knew that these little hook ups weren’t really helping him with their relationship status, but he wasn’t about to complain.